The Chennai-born architect behind Trump’s AI push is leaving the White House

Chennai-born technology executive Sriram Krishnan, one of the key figures shaping US President Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence agenda, has announced that he will step down from his role as Senior Policy Adviser for Artificial Intelligence at the White House later this month.

Krishnan, 42, confirmed his departure in a post on X on Saturday, marking the end of an 18-month stint during which he played a central role in drafting the administration’s AI strategy.

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"I'll be leaving my role at the White House at the end of this month. After a break I'll be working on helping tackle some of the large challenges facing America on AI (more on that later)," Krishnan said.

During his tenure, Krishnan helped shape the Trump administration’s “AI Action Plan”, which aimed to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence infrastructure in the US while easing regulatory barriers around the emerging technology. He was also involved in crafting an executive order that restricted states from independently regulating AI systems.

"It is hard to express how big a privilege it has been to serve the American people and how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to do so. First and foremost, it has been an honour to serve under President Donald Trump. Without his leadership, we would not be leading in the AI race," Krishnan said.

His exit comes at a time when artificial intelligence policy has become a major focus area for the Trump administration, particularly around data centres, energy requirements and global competition in AI technologies.

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David Sacks, co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisers on Science & Technology and a close associate of Krishnan, praised his contribution in a post on X.

"Your skills are genuinely unique: a rare combination of deep technical fluency in AI, sharp policy instincts, exceptional strategic thinking, and true diplomatic talent," Sacks said.

Krishnan said his work at the White House included contributing to the American AI Action Plan, the National AI Policy Framework and AI acceleration partnerships involving US allies.

"The past 18 months have given me a front row seat to this critical moment on AI facing America and our allies. Whether it is energy, data centres or a clear path for Americans to experience the benefits of AI, there are many tough issues we all need to navigate together," Krishnan said.

"I plan on building institutions that help tackle some of those challenges for America and its allies," he added.

Before joining the White House, Krishnan worked as a general partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and held roles at Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter. He was also closely associated with Elon Musk and advised him during the 2022 acquisition of Twitter, later rebranded as X.

Born in Chennai in 1984, Krishnan graduated in Information Technology from SRM University in 2005 before moving to the United States to join Microsoft in 2007.

Krishnan’s appointment to the White House had earlier triggered criticism from sections of Trump’s right-wing support base, including activist Laura Loomer, over his reported views on easing pathways for skilled foreign workers and green card caps, positions viewed by critics as inconsistent with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda.